Extension device



Dec. 1,-1931. s, Al JOHNSON 1,834,708

EXTENSION DEVICE Filed May 9,v 1930 l y It W l1 Y. dimm ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1931' UNITED STATES ,v sYLvEsTER A. JOHNSON, oF NORTH PROVIDENCE. RHODE IsLANn' AssIGNoR To SPEIDEL BROS., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE QAAND, Ai E. R. SPEIDEL AND EDWN IE. M. SPEIDEL i FIRM COMPOSE'D OF ALBERT EXTENSION DEVICE Application filed May 9,

This invention relatesl to a foldable eXtension device, and has for its object to provide means for causing the sections to fold in a predetermined definite relation Vone upon the other.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a series of foldable sections one of which will partially nest in two other sections to reduce the thickness of the device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide open frame sections hinged together by a section of a dimension to swing thereinto, and to form stops to control the swinging of the sections, causing them to fold only by a swinging in a predetermined direction whereby the parts will always be brought in the same relation.

lith these and other objects and advantageous features in View, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, andmore particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings; i

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the extension device in folded position and connected in a bracelet of which it forms a part;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesections in 3o extended position;

Fig. Slis a bottom View thereof with the side walls of one of the channelsections in section;

Fig. t isV a central sectional viewof the device in extended position; i

Fig. 5 is a bottom view, partly in section, ofthe device in partly lfolded position;

Fig. 6 is a central sectional view of the device in folded position. f. i

Itis desirable to form extension devices as thin and compact as possible consistent with strength and functional utility, which I have accomplished Aby providing frame sections having open centers which will receive another section eitherwholly or partially therein to reduce the thickness of the device'when in folded position, and as such sections when hinged together may swing toward either side of asection to which it is connected, I have provided vstops at the hingedy connec- 1930. Serial No. 451,009.

tions to prevent the swinging movement of the sections 1n one directionbut permit-relative swinglng movement toward `the other side of the section, whereby when the sections f are y,unfolded and movement is exerted on what may be termed a dead center, the section must Swingin one direction only to a certain definitepredetermined relation in order to move tofolded position; and the Y following is a detailed description of the present embodiment .of vthis invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results maybe accomplished.

Tit-h reference to the drawings, 10 designates a channel shape top section having side walls 11 to which is pivotally connected the `open frame section 12 having trunnions 13 pivotally mounted inthe side walls 11 and an opening 14 to receive the intermediate section 15 is of Van outer lateral dimension slightly less than the lateral dimensionacross the openings 14 and 20vso that whenin folded posit-ion, the intermediate section 15 lies par,- tially ywithin thek opening 14 and partially `'within the opening 20, as illustrated in Figyure 6, `so that sections 12 and 16 are in substantially contiguous relation throughout their length, and thus the thickness ofthe device may be reduced by at least the thickness of thesection15 to 'form a more com- .1

pact construction. Y l.

In order to prev-ent the section15 from swinging toward either side of the sections 1,2 and 16, I have provided stops by Aforming projections 24 on the section 12 to extend along one side of the section 15 when in extended position, and stops yformed by projections 25 on the section 16 to engage the end of the cross bar of the section 15, both of which prevent folding yof the sections 12 and 16 toward one side of the section 15, but permit a folding movement toward the other side thereof and thus the sections must fold in a deiinite predetermined relation which will bring the channel sections l() and 23 into the desired relation to permit inter-engagement of thefside walls l1 and 22 for clasped relation. The walls 22 are not of suiiicient' vdepth to engage the sec-tion 12 in its folded position inthe section l0. Y i e The end sections l0 and 22 are provided with hooks 26, 27 to engage the end of one of the links 28 o'f the bracelet for joining the extension device in conn-ected relation therewith.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a constructio-n in which the parts are nested to reduce thickness and one inl which theparts must fold in delinite desired relation to facilitate the closing of the devicegivlr'en on thearm by rea-son of its being made Vto close in the proper position only and not permittedv to fold incorrectly which would cause a'repeatof the operations to correct 'the error.

Thilo If have described certain c onstruction forms which embody the principles of my invention, it is obvious that other desired chan ges in arrangement may be made within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in th'eappended claims.

I claim:

l. InV an extension device, a pair of sections, means for liingedly'securing `said sections together, said hinge means being located at the ends of the sections and so formed and arranged as to permit folding of the sections one on the other along. either surface of the different sections, and stop means at the hinge connection between said sections and carried by one 'of said sections to permit opening of said sections to an endto-end substantially aligned extended position but permit swinging from extended position to folded position in but one direction.

2. Iii-an extension device, apair of similar open frame sections, an intermediate section hinged at its ends to said framesections, the relative proportion of saidopenings and intermediate section permitting the intermediate'section to partially received in each of 'said frame sections, whereby said open frame sections may lie in substantially contiguous relation throughout their length when in folded position. V Y

3. In an extension device, .a pair of open frame sections providing side and end bars, asection hinged to said frame sections and having an outer dimension substantially that .of the dimension of the openings in the frame sections toreceive it therein, whereby said open frame sections may lie in substantially contiguous relation tliroughouttheir length when in folded position. n

4. In an extension device, a pair of similar open frame sections, an intermediate section g hinge connections between said sections prev n n F venting swinging of said scctionsone about the other in one direction, whereby folding will occur in the desired direction to bring the parts into desired relation.

5. In an extension device, a. pair of open frame sections providing` side and end bars, a section hinged to said frame sections and havingvan outer dimension substantially that of the dimension ofthe openings in the frame sections toreceive it therein, whereby said open frame sections may lie in'substantially contiguous relation throughout their length when in 'folded position, and stops at the hinge connections between said sections cerlx; ried by one section to engage the other, preventing swinging of `said sections one about j the other in one direction, but permitting Aswinging in the other direction, whereby folding `will occur in the desired direction to bring the parts into desired relation.

6. In an extension device, a pair of end sections, an intermediate section, hinges connec-ting said intermediate section to said end sections, said hinges being so formed and arranged as to permit the intermediate section at its ends to swing towards either side of each end section, stop means at each ofthe hinge connections permitting said sections to lie in an end to end extended. position, said stopmeans preventing swinging movement of the end sections towards one side of the ,c

intermediate section, but permitting swinging movement towards the other side Ythereof in movement from open to closed position.

7. In an extension device, a pair of end sections, an intermediate section, hinges connecting said intermediate sectionto said'end sections, said hingeslbeing so formed and arranged as to permit the intermediate section at its ends to swing towards either side of each end section, stop means at feach of the hinge connections permitting said sections to .lie in an end to end extended position, saidstop means preventing swinging movement of the end sections towards one 'side of the intermediate section, `but permitting swinging movement towards the other sideY thereof inniovenient from open to closed position, said stop means permitting swinging of one end section towards one side and the other end section towards the other side .i

of said intermediate section.

8. In an extension device, a pair of endv sections, an intermediate section, hinges connecting said intermediate section to said end sections, said hinges being so formed and ar- :if

ranged as to permit the intermediate section at its ends to swing towards either side of each end section, stop means at each of the hinge connections permitting said sections to lie in an end to end extended position, said stop means preventing swinging movement of the end sections towards one side of the intermediate section, but permitting swinging movement towards the other side thereof in movement from open to closed position, said stop means consisting of projections on one of the sections at the hinge joint to engage the other section to which it is connected.

9. In an extension device, a pair of end sections, an intermediate section, hinges connecting said intermediate section to said end sections, said hinges being so formed and arranged as to permit the intermediate section at its ends to swing towards either` side of eachv end section, stop means at each of the hinge connections permitting said sections to lie in an end to end extended position, said stop means preventing swinging movement of the end sections towards one side of the intermediate section, but permitting swinging movement towards the other side thereof in movement from open to closed position,

said stop means consisting of projections on one end section at the hinge joint to engage :o the intermediate section to which it is connected. A

Tn testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

SYLVESTER A. JOHNSON. 

